Saatzer bowling column: Mid-MN Hall of Fame ceremonies on deck

The bowling season has started and hopefully it was better for you than it was for me. That is the one nice thing about writing the column, I get to write about great bowling, even if I am not bowling great myself.

The Mid-MN USBC will be holding their Hall of Fame Ceremonies on Oct. 18 at the VFW Post 428 in St. Cloud.

The list of candidates being inducted is very impressive.

For meritorious service, we have Barb Churchill, Vikki Dullinger and Hank Sunder. For superior performance, we have Shannon Orcutt, Cheryl Simon, Bruce Solt and Wayne Wells. Under the pioneer eategory, we have Roy Busse. Mighty Impressive.

Barb Churchill could be inducted under superior performance, also. Barb has been active in the junior program at Great River Bowl, has been the WIBC secretary and the USBC Mid-MN manager, and has run the Minnesota State 600 Tournament. Barb has rolled 28 700s and has a 298 for her high game. She also finished second in the St. Cloud Times' Women's Match Games in 2007.

Vikki Dullinger is another that could have also been put in the superior performance category. Vikki was the coordinator of Great River Bowl's junior program for 19 years. She was assistant coach for two years and coach for 13 years of the Sartell High School bowling team. Vikki has career highs of a 300 game, an 808 series and a 204 average.

Hank Sunder has been the secretary of the Tri-County League for many years. Hank was association secretary of the Central Minnesota Bowling Association for quite a while. Hank has a 298 for his high game and he used that to roll his high series of 773.

Shannon Orcutt has averaged more than 200 since the 2003-04 season, with her high being a 217 in the 2011-12 Season. Shannon rolled the highest series for women in the association with a 779 series in the 2004 season. Shannon's highest series is an 827, which was her second 800 series, both bowled in tournaments. She also is involved with the juniors, being the high school girls coach.

Shannon was part of the three state high school bowling champions at St. Cloud Apollo back in 1989-1991.

Cheryl Simon had to be a good bowler, being the daughter of Fred and Clara Mathiasen. She is. Cheryl won two titles in the Times' Women's Match Games in 1980 and 1997. She also placed second twice in 1986 and 1993 in the Match Games.

Cheryl has been on nine scratch team champions, four handicap team champions, one doubles title and three all-events titles in the St. Cloud Women's Association Tournament. She has a high game of 290 and a high series of 784 and a high average of 200.

Bruce Solt is the ultimate competitor. The left-hander, who also has bowled at Cold Spring, has 25 series of 800 with a 836 for his high, which he rolled four times. He has rolled 37 perfect games, 20 299 games and three 298 games. Bruce rolled an 813 series and his teammate — Wayne Wells — rolled an 835 for a 1,648, a state record in the Masters Doubles League. Bruce has won the Times-Nahan Match Games three times.

Wayne Wells was a good bowler when he came to St. Cloud from California in 1983. But in St. Cloud, he was better. Wayne, who could have been inducted under meritorious service also, coached the St. Cloud State bowling teams from 1983-1993. Has run the Pro Shop since 2000.

Wayne placed fifth in a PBA Regional Tournament. He has a high game of 300 and a high series of 835 and a high average of 229.

Roy Busse started his stats at Rapids Rec in Sauk Rapids. Roy was on the first team in the area where the team averaged 1,000. Roy ran the junior program at Southway Bowl for thirteen years. Back in 1984, at Rapids Rec, he was a member of the team to roll the first 3,300 series, a 3,352. Roy had a high game of 279 and a high series of 752 in 1992.

Some of the scores above might be out of date because of some of them making the All City team last year and could have posted more awesome scores.

Every now and then, I will think "how did this person get selected," not just locally but also for the state, but this year I believe the association should be congratulated on their selections.

Plan on attending the inductions. Tickets for the event are $20 and can be purchased from any board member or at your local lanes. This is the chance to see many of our great bowlers from the past.

Honor counts

• It only took the first night of bowling in the Fred Mathiasen Classic League to have our first honor count. Henry Trutwin rolled a 300 game. The 23-year-old right-hander started with games of 232 and 179 for a 711 series. Henry, who works for Bluestem Fulfillment, is only bowling full-time in one league because of his work schedule.

Henry has been bowling this summer, competing in the CBAs. He finished third in June at Fatherly's and eleventh this summer.

That was his 13th perfect game of his career. It is a belated marriage present to his new wife, Shantel, who married him this summer.

Desk clearing

• PBA Hall of Famer Gene Stus died in August. The 74-year-old Gene retired from General Motors at the age of 50 and then became a regular on the Senior Tour. He won 11 titles, which ranks fifth in history.

• Brady Stearns placed fifth in the August CBA at the Brunswick Zone in Blaine.

Brady was the second highest qualifier and lost the first stepladder to John Kreyer, 231-204.

• Melrose's Craig Schiffler placed sixth in the Midwest Senior Classic Tournament in August at Sunray.

• In the July CBA at Texa Tonka Lanes, Brady Stearns finished third. He won the first stepladder and lost the next to Jamie Clark, 246-180. Justin Schiffler placed eighth, Jeff Walther placed ninth and Eric George was 12th.

• In the June CBA at Flaherty's, Melrose's Justin Schiffler qualified third and lost to Henry Trutwin in the second stepladder 199-190 to place fourth.

Special note

I believe this column is the last bowling column to survive in the larger papers in the state. The column is only possible if I get the scores. Secretaries, please continue to fill the Times' sheets out at the lanes. Anyone can email me with something they believe is noteworthy. If you think it is important, it probably is.

This column is for the bowling community, and I want to thank everyone for their input. Have a great season.

This is the opinion of Times bowling columnist Rick Saatzer. Contact him at rsaatzer@aol.com.